How to Create a Digital Menu for Free (and What Free Really Means)
You can create a full digital QR menu and use it free for the first month, no credit card. Here is what free options really give you and how to build yours step by step.
You can create a digital menu for free in two ways: a free QR code that points to a PDF of your paper menu, or a real digital menu platform on a free trial. The PDF route costs nothing but keeps every limit of paper. With doXmenu you build the full menu, with photos, allergens, 18 languages and your own design, and use it free for the first month with no credit card. After that it costs 12.99€ a month on the annual plan. This guide shows what each option really gives you and how to build yours step by step.
What "free" digital menus really give you
| Option | Cost | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free QR generator + PDF | 0€ | Your paper menu as a file | Zooming on a phone, one language, a new file for every price change |
| Free-forever menu apps | 0€ | A basic online menu | Check for the platform's ads, its logo on your menu, or limits on dishes and languages |
| doXmenu free month | 0€ for a month, then from 12.99€ | Every feature, your own design | It is a trial: after a month you decide whether to pay |
There is no permanently free doXmenu plan. In return you get the same features on day one that paying customers have, instead of a cut-down free version you outgrow in a week.
How to create your digital menu, step by step
- Sign up at admin.doxmenu.com. The first month is free and needs no credit card.
- Add categories such as starters, mains, desserts, drinks and wine. Order them the way guests order, not the way the kitchen works.
- Add dishes with a name, a short description, the price and a photo. Daylight and a calm background are enough; start with names and prices and add photos later.
- Mark allergens and pick languages. Tick the 14 EU allergens per dish and choose your guests' languages; auto-translation fills them in.
- Make it yours with your logo, colours, fonts and background.
- Print the QR code and put it on the tables. It never changes, so you print it once.
A small menu takes about five minutes. If you would rather not type it in, send your current menu and logo on WhatsApp and the doXmenu team builds it within 24 hours. New customers also get 20 free QR stickers.
What it costs after the free month
- 12.99€ a month on the annual plan (155.88€ a year)
- 13.99€ a month billed every 6 months
- 14.99€ billed monthly
Every plan includes every feature, with no commissions and no per-table fees. For comparison, a typical restaurant with 20 to 25 tables spends 450€ to 1,000€ a year keeping paper menus accurate (doXmenu customer reports, 2026). Check your own numbers with the savings calculator.
Get the most out of the free month
- Put the full menu online in the first days, so you test it with real guests, not a demo.
- Add the languages your guests actually speak and watch how often the menu is opened in the analytics.
- Add the menu link to your Google Business Profile and Instagram bio.
- Change a price or two during service, to see how fast an update reaches the table.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create a digital menu for free?
Yes. A QR code pointing to a PDF is free but limited. doXmenu gives you a full digital menu free for the first month, with every feature and no credit card, and then costs from 12.99€ a month.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. You start the free month without a card and decide afterwards whether to continue.
Is there a free-forever doXmenu plan?
No. The first month is free, then every plan includes every feature: 12.99€ a month on the annual plan, 13.99€ billed every 6 months, or 14.99€ monthly.
Can someone create the menu for me?
Yes. Send your current menu and logo on WhatsApp and the doXmenu team builds your digital menu within 24 hours. After that you make every change yourself.
Start your free month, see the pricing, or read what a QR code menu is.
